A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish Oladipupo Adebutu’s name as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election within 24 hours.
Justice Peter Lifu, in his judgment, held that INEC had no power to unilaterally remove the name of a validly nominated candidate by a political party without an order of the court.
The judge held that the action of the electoral body was unconstitutional, unlawful and of no effect.
Justice Lifu said only the Federal High Court or a State High Court had the power to declare a candidate’s nomination invalid, not INEC.
He further held that INEC breached Adebutu’s right to fair hearing before unilaterally removing his name from the list of candidates.
The judge also dismissed the preliminary objection filed by INEC and declared that the suit was competent.
The PDP and Adebutu had, on October 22, filed the suit following the removal of Adebutu’s name from the list of candidates for the Ogun State governorship election.
The plaintiffs sued INEC as the sole defendant in the suit filed by their counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN.
The plaintiffs, who raised six questions for determination, sought 11 reliefs from the court.
They sought an order setting aside the Commission’s decision to omit, remove or refuse to publish Adebutu’s name in the final list of candidates published on October 10, on the grounds of denial of fair hearing and violation of Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act, 2026.
They also sought an order directing or compelling “the defendant to, within 24 hours of the order/orders of this Honourable Court, include and/or publish the name of the 2nd plaintiff as the 1st plaintiff’s governorship candidate for Ogun State in the forthcoming 2027 General Election,” among other reliefs.
